Chelsea in blue, Newcastle in black and white stripes. Glad to see no one's pulled out an unexpected change kit on us. Referee Kevin Friend, in a shirt that I think would be described as cerise, blows his whistle and the visitors get us going, kicking towards the Mathew Harding Stand in the first half.

George Cummins
BBC Radio 5 live at Stamford Bridge

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea take on Newcastle here today and despite Man City being 11 points ahead Antonio Conte still believes they can catch Guardiola’s side.

They will need a repeat of their 13 game winning run which they produced last season to get close. Ironically, Man City can match that record tomorrow if they beat West Ham at the Etihad. That game like this one is also on 5 Live.

As for Newcastle it will be interesting to see what reception Rafa Benitez gets when he walks out to the dugout. He led Chelsea to the Europa League title and finished 3rd in the Premier League after taking over from Roberto Di Matteo in the 2012 – 2013 season.

Conte's beef (or maybe his turkey) is with the fact that Chelsea's game today is so close to their midweek fixture - and not for the first time this season.

It is worth pointing out, though, that at least Chelsea have a light travelling schedule in December: Nine games, six at home, and only two outside London.

The teams are with us.

Image source, Rex Features

You might have seen in this morning's papers that Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte, not for the first time, is a bit grumpy about the fixture list.

Last month, he was angry that Chelsea had to travel to Liverpool on a Saturday, three days after a 6,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan toplay Qarabag in the Champions League.

This time, he's complaining that Chelsea have been shoehorned into the Saturday lunchtime kick-off spot after playing on Wednesday night.

"I'm not stupid," he said. "If someone wants to joke with me, I'm not the right person to joke with."

Oh eck, better keep him away from the Christmas cracker gags, then...

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Yes, if you've just joined us, Lex is referring to Eden Hazard's recall, one of four Chelsea changes. Here are the full line-ups...

Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Drinkwater, Fabregas, Kante, Alonso; Hazard, Morata.

Substitutes: Cabellero, Pedro, Bakayoko, Zappacosta, Willian, Batshuayi, Cahill.

Newcastle: Darlow; Manquillo, Lejeune, Clark, Mbemba; Diame, Merino; Ritchie, Perez, Murphy; Gayle.

Subtitutes: Elliot, Shelvey, Hayden, Aarons, Joselu, Yedlin, Mitrovic.

The sunshine is poking through the cloud at Stamford Bridge as the teams get ready. Quite a few wayward shots in the warm-up - let's hope the players are just getting them out of their system.

Image source, Reuters

Stoke forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting should be fit to play despite picking up an ankle problem in the defeat by Liverpool.

Geoff Cameron is not yet ready to return from a head injury, and Jack Butland is out with a broken finger.

Swansea City forward Tammy Abraham returns after being ineligible to face his parent club Chelsea in midweek.

Defender Federico Fernandez is on leave after a family bereavement, while Kyle Bartley remains out with a knee injury.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester defender Christian Fuchs missed Tuesday's win over Tottenham following the birth of his daughter, but is back in contention against Burnley.

Burnley full-back Matt Lowton was ruled out of the midweek victory at Bournemouth because of a minor knee injury and he remains a doubt.

Steven Defour was forced off against the Cherries after taking a bang to the knee but he should be fine.

Image source, Getty Images

On we go around the grounds...

Watford midfielder Will Hughes limped off with a hamstring injury in the midweek defeat by Manchester United and will not be fit to play.

Defender Miguel Britos could return from the knock he picked up at Newcastle last weekend.

Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks is available for selection after recovering from illness.

Midfielder Victor Wanyama and centre-back Toby Alderweireld remain long-term absentees.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, EPA

Rt. Rev. Liam Reilly: Rafa has clearly decided that this game is already lost. No other reason to keep Shelvey on the bench, leave Mbemba floundering at left back, and start the woeful Diame.

Mudigar Akpotor: No one is talking about Christensen promotion to Chelsea's first 11. If it were the players out on loan, that would be headline.

Football Focus

Just a quick interruption to the early team news for this important message. The Football Focus FA Cup special is now under way; the team are at League One Fleetwood for their second-round home tie against seventh-tier Hereford.

Watch here, or by clicking the tab in the bar across the top of the page. Also: Notts County v Oxford City is on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra from 12:30 GMT.

And if we're going to break into the team news to tell you that, we might as well let you chip in with your reaction to the selections at Stamford Bridge...

Left-back Gaetan Bong, who missed the draw with Crystal Palace because of a minor knee injury, looks set to return.

Joel Matip has been ruled out for Liverpool after sustaining a muscle injury in the win at Stoke, but Ragnar Klavan may return from illness.

Adam Lallana is not yet fit to return while Nathaniel Clyne remains out.

Image source, Getty Images

New West Brom head coach Alan Pardew takes charge of his first game, against his former club, and is set to make changes to the side that drew at Newcastle

Nacer Chadli and James Morrison are nearing full fitness and could feature, but Kieran Gibbs and Matt Phillips are both doubts.

Yohan Cabaye, Luka Milivojevic, Jeffrey Schlupp and Scott Dann are all struggling to be fit for Crystal Palace's trip to the Hawthorns.

Damien Delaney had an operation on Friday and joins Lee Chung-yong and Connor Wickham on the sidelines.

Image source, Getty Images

Who will Sam Allardyce pick for his first match in charge of Everton?

Forward Oumar Niasse is available again following a two-match ban for diving, while Michael Keane also returns after missing the win over West Ham.

Yannick Bolasie is back in training after a year out, but Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka are still sidelined.

Huddersfield have no new injury concerns but Michael Hefele, Jon Stankovic and Philip Billing remain sidelined.

Image source, Getty Images

Shall we do a quick scoot around the grounds before the Football Focus FA Cup special starts on BBC One at 12:00 GMT? Let's do it.

Nii: Chelsea team news. Bakayoko benched. Mr Conte, you made my day.

Chelsea make four changes from the side that defeated Swansea 1-0 in midweek.

Midfielders Danny Drinkwater and Eden Hazard come in as does left-sided player Victor Moses and defender Cesar Azpilicueta.

They replace Willian, Davide Zappacosta, Pedro and Gary Cahill.

Image source, .

Newcastle drop striker Joselu. Dwight Gayle comes into the attack.

Full-back DeAndre Yedlin and midfielder Isaac Hayden also move to the bench.

Javier Manquillo and Mo Diame return to the line-up.

Image source, .